San Diego County Board of Supervisors Votes Not To Renew Contract With Home Health Care Agency
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously voted not to renew a $15.5 million-per-year contract with Addus HealthCare, which provides elderly and disabled residents with health care aides, because of increasing costs and state budget cuts, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. Supervisors expect to save $750,000 this year by not renewing the contract with Addus; the county will continue to hire noncontract workers, who are paid less than contract workers, to provide services to some county residents. The cost of providing contract and noncontract aides has increased from $62.7 million in fiscal year 1998 to $183.7 million in the current fiscal year. About 2,500 county residents receive services under the contract, which is set to expire Aug. 31. In addition, county officials said that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) is expected to make additional funding cuts, which could jeopardize state social services programs. Supervisor Bill Horn said, "It's a rock and hard place, but at least we are not doing away with the program" (Gao, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1/14).
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